<p>Is there a certain deadline to where you need to notify the college you want to attend? Do they ask you and you reply over the phone or email?</p>
<p>Before May 1 is preferable. Spaces may be opened for students on the university's waitlist.</p>
<p>^Agree with May 1st. Most often you confirm your enrollment online and pay your deposit (usually $300-$500) by credit card. You can also respond by mail and enclose a check. Unless the university has specified an earlier date, it is usually best to give yourself plenty of time to consider your options (especially financially) and hold off committing to a school until the last week of April.</p>
<p>What's this "deposit"?</p>
<p>When you accept the offer of admission from a university, they collect a "deposit." It is usually non-refundable, and will apply to your tuition for the year. They do this to reduce the number of students who say they will attend, but then don't show up when school starts. Some students who cannot make up their minds still do deposit to two (or more) schools, and they then forfeit the deposit at the schools they do not end up attending. Most universities also have a separate housing application fee and/or deposit in addition to your enrollment deposit.</p>
<p>Oh ok, I see.</p>
<p>Not all schools ask for a deposit so check with yours. My daughter's school (a large State U) did not ask for an enrollment deposit, though we did pay a housing deposit. In fact freshman year her housing deposit was sent before her application to the school was even complete!</p>
<p>And not all deposits are applied to tuition. D's former college did not apply deposit to tuition - instead, it was held until graduation (and then they asked the students to leave it as a class gift contribution). When D transferred, I had to write to request the deposit be returned - which of course I did! :)</p>
<p>I would too! I would be tempted to say they could consider the interest they had been earning on the money as my class gift!</p>
<p>kelsmom is correct - one of D award letters states: "If you paid a general deposit at the time of enrollment, this will be credited to your account six months after you graduate." So, they may ask that the amount be donated as a gift? Well, that's a pretty sneaky way of starting the alumni fundraising.</p>